March 1193
by icclenomi
Summary: one shot- Allan goes to an inn. Jessamine uncovers things no mary sue, no romance


_Jessamine saw Allan A Dale in her inn for the third time this week. He grinned at her as he joked around with a couple of the regulars, before joining her at the bar. He started to speak to her about his lifestyle, what it was like having adventures with Robin of Locksley, and the satisfaction it brought to bring aid to those in need- he was using it as a line and Jessamine was having none of it._

"Enough of the jabberin, A Dale." She stacked an empty barrel atop of another and stood, hands on hips. "Mek theeself useful and tek that outside for me so's I can see to the customers." With a curious look on his face, the boy complied and lifted the barrels outside.

"Where'd you want 'em?"

"In the streets! Where does thee think? Purrem on the cart." She turned to the newest arrival, a man of no less than forty years. She greeted him with a warm smile and a girlish nature.

"Just half a pint, eh love?" She winked at him as she placed the ale on the bar and picked up his coin just as Allan was finding his way inside once more.

"Blimey, when you said to put em on the cart you didn't mention the fact that its twice my size! I 'ad to lift them barrels over my head!" Jessamine ignored the outlaws complaints as she did a table check for empty mugs. "though I suppose it was easier than lifting Will onto that roof... did I ever tell you about that time that-"

"Clean those mugs for me." Allan complied instinctively as he continued to recall a particularly humorous situation which had involved himself and Will Scarlett ending up on a roof in order to avoid detection from the castle guards. Jessamine busied herself talking to the punters as he started to trail off.

"You don't care do you?" he seemed very put out and it was at this point Jessamine turned to him.

"When thee starts saying somethin real, then I listen." Allan A Dale's face was a mixture of confusion and hurt. She could see him trying to put up walls at the mention of real feelings or things of any importance.

"I..." His voice cracked a little and he took the opportunity to clear his throat. "I dunno what you mean." She simply gave him a pointed look before turning back to the drunken men swaying to non-existent music. She knew he would come around, was only a matter of time. She sensed him walk off into the back and this in when she excused herself from her pub, telling Mary to keep an eye out.

At first she stayed in the doorway as she heard his heavy breathing- silly man trying to hold it in. He had been flirting with her since the day they met, but she had never paid him all that much attention, having no place for tall tales and childish antics. She walked over to where he leant against a post and placed a hand on his shoulder- earning a quick flinch and a swift turn, but at seeing who it was he relaxed slightly, dropping his shoulders.

"Now. Tell me somethin' about thee." The outlaw gave an incredulous look as she spoke. "Come on, lad- somethin' real."

"Like what?"

"like, why are you so unhappy at the moment?"

"I arent unhappy-" She cut him off with a stern look and a small push, which seemed to move his whole body.

"Dont lie ter me- I cen tell." she watched the young man sitting in front of her as he began to blink a lot more and bit his lip, but unable to stop tears from falling down his face he cried and she held him. Waited until he pulled away, wiping at hiis face with his sleeve.

"My father, he uh, left when I were a nipper- just before me brother was born. I never knew 'im. All we 'ad was Mum. 'Swhy I ad to steal- if I didn't then my mum and brother woulda starved. But I got caught once, when I were eleven and Tom were seven and they wanted to punish me but my mum, she convinced em to let er take the punishment- and...

I didn't want it- I woulda taken the punishment. I was doin it so that she wouldnt get urt,and tom didnt neither but..but they took 'er and threw me on the floor- they was so big- I tried to fight em but..."

"you were a boy." He nodded. She had heard of this happening to families, and fearing what came next she put an arm around him, but he seemed not to notice.

_"They... they 'punished' 'er in... in our own home and it left er near dead... she wouldn't speak or eat or nuffin' and she di...she died early March. Thats when me an' tom left. Nuffing left for us there. We ended up in London for a bit, always missed Rochdale though." Putting the months together she realised this was the month his mother had died, it had turned to March a week ago. Holding onto him tighter she thought of asking... to answer the unspoken question he continued._

"Woulda been ten years this month. So I need a strong drink and send me back to Sherwood-"

"Oh no you don't. You are not to touch a drop all of this month." She found herself waggling a firm finger at him and as both she and he realised what she was doing there was quiet laughter.

"I'm not bein funny, but you ent much older than I am- why you tellin' me what to do?" She pushed him once more in jest, before realising how skinny he was.

"You need to get some meat on your bones-"

"oi- I'll have you know I have a very nice body..."

"You got nothing on thee- your clothes are hangin off thee like..."

"Very toned, you aint even seen it so..." She flicked him on the nose and smiled.

"I'm making thee something to eat. I might not have been on this earth that much longer than thee, but I 'ave picked up a great deal more sense." As if to prove her point Allan was mimicking her to himself. So, smacking him on the head and walking out of the room she called back. "Thee better be there when I get back, and eat everything on the plate."

Allan smiled.

end.


End file.
